The Competition
by Assuming Direct Control
Summary: Liara turns to desperate means - in the form of Subject Zero - when she discovers Shepard has been unfaithful to her with Miranda. Can an unlikely friendship with Gabby help Jack through her difficult decision? Out Of Character story, does not follow Mass Effect canon. This is my first FanFic and would appreciate any feedback.
1. Chapter 1 - Indecent Proposal

**The Competition**

Liara pushed the elevator button down to the engineering floor. The Normandy SR-2… it was a strange experience. It was bigger than the original, but it didn't make her feel small the way the first Normandy had. She was a child then, but the fight against Saren and the death – and recovery – of Shepard had hardened her.

She stepped out of the elevator and walked to the stairway down to the ship's bowels. Her foot hovered tentatively. There was a red glow stretching up the walls like clawing fingers, and a disheartening flow of stifling heat from the exposed pipes. Liara saw the flicker of the thin bulbous shadow of a shaven head across the red lit wall and took the first step down. Her feet clinked and echoed off the metal stairs. Jack was standing at the bottom, arms folded and dark eyes staring firm.

"You lost, Tentacles?" she said.

Liara remained on the stairs, two from the bottom. She held her arms at her side and allowed her lithe fingers to unfurl slowly, like a reawakened insect. Her body pulsed with biotic blue.

"I think we need to have a chat," Liara said, floating down the final steps.

"Please. You know my biotics were criminally engineered, right? And a maximum security prison couldn't even hold me. I think I could handle one little asari," Jack said.

Her own biotic power began to swirl around her.

"As I hear it, the prison was holding you pretty well until Shepard showed up, Jaqueline," Liara said.

Jack's lips pursed tight, snarling up in the left corner.

"Don't call me that. It's Jack," she said.

"Don't call me Tentacles."

The women stared at each other, faces armed with furrowed and menacing brows. Slowly, the tint of the sapphire swirls that surrounded them faded away. Neither wanted to be responsible for exploding a hole in the Normandy's hull. The battle continued with subtlety.

"I heard you and Shep used to be an item. You know, before the cheerleader upstairs," Jack said.

Liara's nose twitched slightly. The shot had stung.

"That's… actually what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Oh yeah? You want me to kill Miranda?" Jack said with a dry laugh.

"Yes."

Liara's voice was calm and collected. Inside her heart was thrashing wildly, and her palms were moistening with sweat. Jack moved towards her quickly and stabbed her finger into Liara's face. Jack's jagged, bitten off fingernail cut into the flesh of Liara's cheek.

"Is this some kind of joke? See if I say yes, then you'll know I'm really crazy?" Jack said.

Liara took a deep breath and said, "No."

It was an effort not to stammer.

"Did Joker put you up to this?"

Liara gently eased Jack's finger away from her face, pushing the arm back down by Jack's side. There was no resistance.

"Information pertaining to the whereabouts of high ranking Cerberus officials from a certain facility you are familiar with has come into my possession."

"You talkin' about Teltin?"

"That's my payment. Kill Miranda and you can have the intel. Don't, and you'll never find them," Liara said.

Jack took a step back and cocked her hip to the side. Her eyes softened with intrigue

"How do I know this ain't just a scam?"

"You know who I am, Jack. Subject Zero. Jennifer."

The brightness in Jack's eyes shrank back to stone.

"What did you just call me?"

Liara smiled, "Information is my business. Trust me when I say it's not a scam."

"Why me? There are tons of assassins for hire in the galaxy. There's one on this goddamn ship!"

"The drell? Too honest. I have a profile on him, and he wouldn't take this job. And I have a profile on you too."

"What does it say?" Jack said.

"I'm here offering the job to you, aren't I? As for everyone else in the galaxy, how exactly are they supposed to kill one of Cerberus' highest officials, a woman under the constant protection of Commander Shepard, no less?"

"How am I supposed to?"

"I can't tell you the amount of times I came close to shooting Kaiden in the back on Noveria. Mistakes happen in combat, Jack. Use your imagination."

Liara turned and left, coating herself in her wisps of azure aura as she climbed back up the airs.


	2. Chapter 2 - Through The Barrier

**The Competition, Ch.2**

Jack thought about Liara's offer. Teltin had been blown up, but the demons had not dissipated from her dreams as she'd hoped they would. Hatred and vengeance still coursed through her veins; the only cure was bloodletting. She needed to find them.

Jack slammed her fist into the metal wall. The noise rang out in a repeating clang. There was a bevelled dent. She sat down on the cool bench and dropped her head down into her hands, scoring her scalp with her fingertips. She needed Liara's intel. It would bring peace. Closure. It had to. And if it didn't, Jack would swallow a bullet anyway, so what did anything matter then?

She heard footsteps on the stairs again. This was her sanctuary, an ugly little room with stifling heat and intimidating exposed piping. To have it breached twice in one day was irritating. Worse was that this time it would be Shepard, likely fresh from visiting Miranda. There had been an… incident last week, after they'd returned for Teltin. Miranda had tried to excuse away the Cerberus experiments on Jack. Shepard had broken up the argument, siding firmly with Miranda. Now he was here to try and smooth things over. There was nothing he could say. He was Team Cerberus now, Team Cheerleader.

If Miranda had to die for Jack to get the intel, it was worth it. It might even be fun. Smear the walls with that bitch. In the few seconds it took the footsteps to louden and edge closer, Jack conspired a plan. She would play nice, pretend to make up. Ask to go out into the field with Miranda next time. But a shot in the back wouldn't be classy; Jack wanted to execute her. 'Use your imagination', Liara had said. But she didn't know just how dark Jack's imagination could be. Or maybe she did, she seemed to know everything else. Perhaps that was why Jack was chosen all along. To make Miranda suffer. Jack smirked at the thought. In the few seconds it took for someone to announce their arrival with the first echoing step on the stairs and then reach the bottom, Jack's plan was near perfect. There was just one flaw; the person standing at the bottom of the stairs was not Shepard.

It was Gabriella Daniels, holding out a plate with a cheese sandwich cut into four triangles and a glass of pulp-less orange juice. Gabby kept her distance, as if she was offering food to a tiger and was afraid she might lose her arm. There was already a sheen of sweat on her forehead from the warmth of Jack's lair.

"I thought you might be hungry, Subject Zero," Gabby said.

Aside of Shepard and Miranda, the rest of crew called her 'Subject Zero' rather than 'Jack'. It put up a barrier, and Jack liked it. But Gabby had frequently visited her with small gestures of snacks, and one time a pack of cards, though Jack had not offered Gabby the chance to stay and play.

"Call me Jack," she said.

"Okay," Gabby said, and placed the plate and glass on the floor.

She started to retreat back up the stairs.

"You can stay. If you want, I mean," Jack said.

Her voice came out louder and more desperate than she'd intended. Great. Gabby would run off and tell Kenneth all about it, and pretty soon the whole crew would think Jack was just a lonely little girl with no friends. And wouldn't the cheerleader just love that?

Jack rested her head against the wall, nestling it into the indentation her fist had left.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she muttered.

"Er, you still want me to stay, right?"

Gabby was standing there, smiling awkwardly.

"Yeah, sure."

Jack sat down and slapped the seat next to her, nodding at Gabby to sit there.

"Did you want to talk about something?" Gabby said, taking a bite from one of the sandwich triangles.

"What do you think of Miranda?" Jack said.

Gabby swallowed and lowered her voice, "Off the record?"

"I'm an escaped convict living in the ship's goddamn boiler closet. What kind of record do you think I keep?"

She laughed and nudged Gabby in the shoulder. It was supposed to be playful, but the force nearly knocked Gabby off her seat.

Gabby regained her balance and smiled weakly.

"What do you think of her?"

"She's a bitch. But I asked you first," Jack said.

"Miranda's always been stuck up. But ever since her and Shepard… you know,"

"Fucked?" Jack offered.

Gabby smiled, "Yeah. She's just insufferable now, like they're some power couple."

"Things would be better if she wasn't even on this mission," Jack said.

It couldn't hurt to test the waters of how people would react to Miranda's death.

"Yeah," Gabby said, taking another bite. Her tone was noncommittal.

"Then we'd get Jacob in charge though. Dull."

"He's not so bad," Gabby said.

Jack nudged her again, "So, you like Jacob, huh? Ask him out. Bet he's single. Someone that dull has to be."

"He's not really my type. Anyway, I should get back to my post. Nice talking with you, Sub- I mean, Jack," Gabby said, standing.

"You too, Daniels," Jack said.

Gabby put her foot on the first stair and turned her head so her short hair fell in front of her face.

"Gabby," she said.


	3. Chapter 3 - Callous Smiles

**The Competition, Ch.3**

Miranda slipped out of her catsuit, wriggling the tight material off the curves of her hips and down her legs. She slid into bed with Shepard, and for the next fifteen minutes, the pair of them forgot about the mission.

Miranda rolled off Shepard and propped herself up on her side, long dark hair falling in front of her face and shimmering in the bedroom lamplight. She brushed it back over her head. Her chest rose and fell as she breathed heavily.

"I think you should take Jack on the next mission," Miranda said.

"Why?" Shepard said.

He sat up against the headboard.

"She puts on this tough bitch act, but that's all it is: an act. Take me and her next time, show her she's still part of the team."

"Jack almost killed you last week."

"It was a minor incident. Take her. Things will be easier in the long run," Miranda said.

"You're the boss."

She smiled, "Yes I am."

Miranda climbed back onto Shepard, and the mission became temporarily inconsequential again.

Later on, Jack's omni-tool got Shepard's standard message asking the squad to gather in the Communications Room. She climbed her stairs and got in the elevator with Tali.

"So… what's new with you?" Tali said.

Jack rolled her eyes and did not reply. After a few moments of silence, Tali pressed the second floor button.

Jack hung back a couple of steps behind Tali as they left the elevator. When she got to the Com Room, everyone was there. Everyone except Shepard himself, and Miranda. Tali made her way over to Garrus. She said something in a low voice that Jack did not hear, then Garrus put his hand on Tali's shoulder and glared at Jack. She stuck her middle finger up at him and he turned away.

The squad was gathered in small bunches, apart from Jack who stood alone. Shepard and Miranda walked in. Shepard began to speak, describing the mission parameters and objectives. Jack didn't listen. Every mission was simple to her; you shoot the things that shoot at you. Miranda had one knee cocked and her arm draped around Shepard's neck like a silk scarf. She was telling the squad that Shepard was _hers_, no one else's. If Liara were here she might have killed Miranda on the spot. As always, the cheerleader looked perfect. Her physique, her bone structure… just not her hair. When Miranda was alone, her hair was constantly smooth and shiny, impeccably so. But whenever she had been with Shepard, she left it deliberately messy. So there would be no doubts that he was hers, and she was his.

Finally Shepard got to the good part, "I'll be taking Miranda and Jack with me on this mission."

Miranda sweet smile curled into smug. This move had been planned and pillow talked.

"Me and the cheerleader? Forget it," Jack said.

Garrus waved his hand in disgust and left the room with Tali, his arm protectively held against her back.

"You're still part of the team, Jack. We want to make that clear to you," Miranda said.

There was a clear emphasis on the 'we'. She needed to make it crystal; this decision was hers as much as it was Shepard's.

"Suit up, Jack. We leave in 10," Shepard said.

"If you can't work with us, you'll have to leave the team," Miranda said.

"Screw you, cheerleader," Jack said as the three of them made their way to the armoury.

As Jack slotted her M6 Carnifex into her holster and slung the M27 Scimitar over her back, she realised there was one person on the ship who might hate Miranda as much as she did. Jacob was Miranda's ex, and Jack had to admit she was brave to kiss Shepard so unreservedly in front of him when he had access to a whole locker full of guns. Maybe that was the point; Miranda had upgraded, and she had no qualms about rubbing that in Jacob's face. Jack wondered why Liara hadn't gone to Jacob instead. Maybe it was the same reason she hadn't sought Thane's help; he was simply too honest. Or maybe Liara just thought Jacob didn't have the stomach for the cold blooded kill the way Jack did. Either way, the anger on Jacob's face was there to see. Jack would have held Jacob up against the wall and kissed him just to annoy Miranda, but the thought of Jacob's tongue in her mouth was not an attractive one.

"Thanks hot stuff," she said to Jacob as he handed her a pack of thermal clips, but Miranda did not react.

On the shuttle Miranda and Shepard sat close to each other while Jack sat opposite. Miranda ran her hand up and down his thigh, and he smiled even though he couldn't feel it through his armour. Jack twisted her hands together anxiously, the fingertips glowing blue with overcharged biotics. She stared at Miranda, imaging that pretty face with a bullethole gaping from it, and trickling spiderlegs of blood crawling down her high cheekbones. Miranda caught her staring and gave her a patronising grin, flashing her white teeth. They shined like polished metal.

It reminded Jack of the smiles of the prison guards at Teltin when they beat her.


	4. Chapter 4 - Opportunity Knocks

**The Competition, Ch.4**

The shuttle landed on Daratar and the three of them climbed out. Shepard jumped out first and made a gentlemanly show of offering his hand to Miranda. Behind them, an Atlas Mech whirred into life, its arms and head rising mechanically. It jutted out a round of bullets and Jack took one in the shoulder while she waited for Miranda to get out of her way. Shepard and Miranda ran for cover as Jack pressed her hand over her wound and felt the warm, syrupy flow of blood. She jumped out of the shuttle and fired her shotgun at the Atlas as she slid on the rocky surface for cover.

"If you lovebirds are finished, wanna help me take out these trashcans?"

There were three Atlas Mechs shooting at them. Miranda followed up Jack's shotgun blast with an Overload while Shepard peppered it with corrosive bullets. The Atlas sagged back on its knee joints and exploded. Two remained. Shepard broke to the left as Miranda ran low to the right. This was perfect. They were separated, coming up against a strong foe. Jack had the perfect cover up. Liara's intel would be hers soon enough, then the galaxy would get a whole lot emptier.

Jack followed Miranda, shielding her eyes from the glare reflecting off Miranda's all black catsuit. She rubbed half a tube of MediGel onto her shoulder and felt it tingle into numbness. Shepard single-handedly wore his Mech down gruelling with bullets and concussive shots, but Jack and Miranda's biotics made light work of their own. Jack fired her shotgun, hitting the Mech – poetically – in the shoulder to finish it off. The explosion was orange and black, the inhaled smoke leaving a coppery taste in Jack's mouth. They were too far from Shepard, and he didn't appear to be struggling at all. Miranda holstered her weapon and let down her guard. Jack pointed her barrel straight at the back of Miranda's neck.

"Hey cheerleader, any last words?" she said.

Miranda turned. She was still down on her knees from covering during the battle. Jack rose to her feet, her shotgun pointed downwards, remaining focussed on Miranda. Tiny ants of sweat crawled across her forehead. This moment would be the start of her salvation; the first in a long line of cathartic trigger squeezes.

But her finger locked. Something inside of her would not shoot.

"Cute," Miranda said.

She pulled herself up using Jack's gun for leverage and flashed that same metal smile. In the background, Shepard's Mech exploded. The familiar meld of orange flames and black clouds demanded Jack's attention in her peripheral vision. She liked to watch the Atlas' destructing; they died in stages. First they would stop firing and shut down, then they turned limp. Then came the glorious flames.

Miranda walked a quarter of the way towards Shepard then stopped, forcing him to come to her. Jack watched in slight disgust as he dutifully jogged up to Miranda and kissed her. Though she'd never admit it, she had a begrudging respect for Shepard. He got the job done virtue, and that was a definite in her eyes. The only thing that lessened her respect was his behaviour around Miranda. They were not simply a couple in love and fond of displaying their affection; that would be irritating, but would not discernibly affect her opinion him. But he allowed Miranda to be in charge. Everything seemed to be done on Miranda's say so.

Jack picked up a rock and threw it at them. Small enough to seem innocent, big enough to hurt. She was aiming for Miranda, but the wind caught it and guided it to Shepard's arm. Miranda turned and gave her an annoyed and disappointed look, the way a mother would at a child that had interrupted a rare moment of togetherness between two parents.

Miranda and Shepard walked around the scorched Atlas limbs, cataloguing the contents of several large crates, the apparent point of the mission. Jack gathered up and army of rocks at her feet. She began to imagine faces on them, and kicking them away with relative force. Shepard received only a soft nudge away. Liara's was punted hard, rolling and disintegrating against the surface. Jack hadn't realised how important Liara's intel was until she found out it existed. If it wasn't for Liara's deal, Jack wouldn't be in this mess now. Why hadn't she been able to pull the trigger? She picked up the Miranda rock and threw it skyward, swinging her boot to meet its descent and send the shattered fragments flying. There was a rock that looked like her own face. Jack stomped on it and ground it to dust.

Miranda walked past Jack on her way to the shuttle, and tapped her on the shoulder. Jack turned to face her and Shepard jogged past.

"I hope you learned a thing or two about teamwork today," Miranda said.

"Whatever."

Jack headed for the shuttle but Miranda yanked her back by the shoulder. Shepard continued forward. Miranda waited until he was out of earshot.

"You want to think very, _very_ carefully about pointing a gun at me again," she said quietly.

"What are you gonna do, tell on me?"

"To Shepard? He'd just kick you off the ship. You'd be free to run off to Omega and join a gang, turn yourself into a little mercenary princess under Queen Aria's boot. Of course, I could 'tell on you' to other people. Bad people. I have a lot of connections in Cerberus. I know people who'd like you give you exactly what you deserve," Miranda said.

Her voice sounded sadistic in a whisper, and there was a mocking cruelty to the playful way she had dabbed a finger at Jack's nose on the word 'exactly'. She walked off, sashaying her hips side to side in a pendulum motion.

Next time, Jack's finger would not lock. Next time there would be death.


	5. Chapter 5 - Foolish Feelings

**The Competition, Ch.5**

"Mm-hm. Yes. I see. Don't worry; I'll fix it," Liara said into her Omni-tool.

She ended the call and punched her fist into the table.

"Your coffee, Miss. T'Soni," Nyxeris said, placing a steaming hot ceramic cup on the edge of Liara's desk.

"Thank you, Nyxeris."

"Will there be anything else, ma'am?"

"I have a private call to make. See that I'm not disturbed."

"Of course."

Nyxeris gave a respectful bow of her head and backed out of the room. She wore a headband with a plastic flower sewn onto it, and a short, figure hugging dress. Liara insisted on such a dress code. Though Liara had no physical attraction to Nyxeris, it was important that she make Nyxeris feel more like eye candy than a valued assistant. She was skilled at decrypting; almost as skilled as Liara. One day she may even be good enough to oust Liara as Illium's leading information broker. It was important to crush that out of her, humiliate Nyxeris just enough that self-doubt could erode any dreams of a coup, but not so much as to render her useless as a second pair of hands. So mixed in with decoding audio files, Liara would have Nyxeris fetch her coffee. Once every week or so, Liara would deliberately ask for a complicated order, then complain that it was wrong when Nyxeris quickly returned with it. Today was just a simple coffee. Liara was too preoccupied for childish games.

Liara called Jack.

"Do you have an explanation?" Liara asked.

She took a sip from her coffee as Jack groaned groggily on the other end of the line.

"Do you know what time it is here?"

"You're on a spaceship, Jack. There is no time zone."

"I was sleeping, anyway."

"Yes, I imagine Miranda is sleeping soundly too. In Shepard's bed, rather than a hole in the ground."

Jack sat up straight and stretched her back.

"I don't know what happened. I-"

Liara cut her off, "I don't care. Miranda is dead by next week, or the job goes to someone else and I delete your files. And don't even think about trying to steal them, they're code locked anyway."

"Why don't you just try and win Shepard back? Why take out a hit on Miranda?"

"Because that wouldn't be enough!" Liara shouted.

She stood and swept her coffee cup off the desk.

Nyxeris looked around the door, the retreated when she saw Liara's glare.

"Me and Shepard… we were together. We were one. That's not how it is with Miranda. She owns him. He's nothing but a toy to her. She built him back up, and now she's showing off _her _creation to the world. But he's _my _Shepard. I know he is."

Liara wiped a foolish tear away from her eye.

"I'll get her next time," Jack said.

Liara inhaled and composed herself, sitting back down.

"You'd better. Because I mean it Jack. One week, or those files, those names you crave; they're gone."

She hung up.

Jack couldn't get back to sleep. She began to sweat, every new bead that formed felt like being impaled on icicles. Her legs flailed, kicking at her bench and walls, while her hand slapped rhythmically off the overhead pipe. She screamed. Her fits had not been this bad since Teltin.

Later that morning, the scent of crisp meat wafted down the stairs to Jack's room. She walked, curious and hungry, to the archway at the bottom of the steps. Gabby was there, carrying two plates of bacon sandwiches.

She held one out and Jack took it.

"Thanks."

"I heard you last night," Gabby said.

"What?"

"Screaming and thrashing. I was worried about you."

"Wasn't me," Jack said casually, tearing a bite of sandwich away.

"But I heard-"

"You havin' nightmares, Gabby?"

Gabby blushed red and took a small bite of her sandwich.

They walked to the bench and sat down.

"These are good. You make 'em?" Jack said.

"No. It was Gardener. Don't tell Kenneth, 'cause that's his sandwich."

"You know, last time you said Jacob 'wasn't your type'. I kinda got the impression you had your eye on someone else. This Ken you work with, you hoping to be his Barbie?"

Gabby laughed, a little bitterly.

"You didn't answer," Jack said.

"What, Kenneth? No way. I have to stand there all day listening to him talk about Samara's and Benezia's rack or whatever."

"You wish he'd notice yours, huh?"

Gabby shook her head, "I just wish anybody would notice me."

Her voice was sad and Jack felt sorry for her. It was uncomfortable, caring about somebody else.

"Come on. You still haven't told me who it is," Jack said.

"Who?" Gabby said, looking away.

Jack rolled her eyes.

"Well, there is sorta somebody," Gabby said.

"On the Normandy? Let me guess… Thane?"

Gabby darted her lips onto Jack's then yanked them back quickly.

Jack's nostril's flared with heavy breathing and she pushed Gabby onto the floor. Gabby scrambled to her feet and ran to the exit.

"What the fuck?" Jack shouted

"I like you," Gabby said.

Her voice was meek, her chin burrowed into her neck as she stared at the ground.

Jack threw her plate. Gabby ducked and shrieked, then fled up the stairs, stumbling in her haste. Jack ran full force at the wall, hitting it with her shoulder. Then she pummelled against it with her knuckles until they bled.

People didn't like her. Occasionally guys wanted to fuck her, if only to prove to their friends that they could nail the bald angry chick. And Jack knew the score. It would be one night of good sex and no kissing, then they'd never see each other again. Her black eyeliner ran down her face in slick, oilsludge stripes as she cried. She wanted to run upstairs and tell Gabby she was sorry, but she couldn't.

That wasn't who she was.


	6. Chapter 6 - Back In The Field

**The Competition, Ch.6**

Jack had no visitors for the next two days. When she left her deck for food, she would hide in the alcoves of doorways until she was sure Gabby wasn't there, then sneak past. Once she got her rations, Jack snuck back to her room in the same way. Then she'd eat alone and wish for Gabby's company.

Shepard's recorded message to gather in the Com Room played from her Omni-tool again. She stared at the orange glow on her wrist and decided whether it was even worth showing up. Unless you were Miranda, you could expect to sit out at least three missions before Shepard took you into the field again. But after last time, Miranda would make it clear to Shepard that Jack was on the naughty step. Mommy said so.

But not even showing up would just give Miranda reason to contact the 'bad people' she knew. Jack had a hunch it was more than an idle threat, and wasn't prepared to bet otherwise. She waited in her familiar alcove at the engineering door and waited until Grunt and Tali had passed by. Jack eased her head around the door to see where Gabby was.

"You can come out," Gabby said.

Jack stepped into the doorway.

"You're not as good at hiding as you think you are," Gabby said.

"Gabby, I-"

"Just go."

Gabby turned her back and Jack walked to the elevator.

"Nice of you to join us, Jack," Miranda said as Jack entered the Com Room.

Her arm was draped over Shepard in her usual ceremonial pose.

"I've already gone over the mission specs," Shepard said.

"Don't repeat them on my account," Jack said.

"I can give you the basics in the shuttle. You're coming with me and Miranda again."

Miranda's face soured. Unlike most of Shepard's decisions, this had not been given her seal of post coital approval.

"Tell me, Shepard. Must we all maintain poor time keeping and a surly attitude if we wish to accompany you and Ms. Lawson into the field anytime soon?" Thane said.

"Watch who you're talkin' to, Kermit," Jack said.

"Or you could sleep with him," Tali said.

"Shepard doesn't take me into battle because I'm good in bed," Miranda said.

"She didn't say you were," Garrus said.

Miranda raised a single dark eyebrow, as if the very idea that she would _not _be good in bed was ridiculous.

"Shepard has made his decision," she said.

The rest of the squad trudged out of the room. Jack tensed the muscles in her shoulder and shoved it into Thane as he walked past.

Miranda was all over Shepard in the armoury, even more than usual. It was like the fact he'd made a decision without asking her permission turned her on. Jack looked at Jacob, but she didn't need to throw herself at him for petty revenge. Revenge was the cool hard metal in her hand.

In the shuttle Miranda and Shepard kissed again, then fitted each other's gas masks. Shepard fitted Miranda's for her, then handed one to Jack.

"What are these for?"

"They help you breathe," Shepard said.

"If you'd shown up on time, you'd know that Tarith has a semi toxic atmosphere. Gas masks are a necessity."

Their voices were raspy through their breather plates.

They landed on Tarith, and semi toxic atmosphere didn't even begin to cover it. There was a thick, moss green fog. Jack held up her hand and the smoky vapour ate away at the edges of her fingertips.

"We need to activate these beacons. They'll help guide us," Shepard said.

He flicked the switch on a white metal box and a blue light shot out of it, pointing the way.

"Piece of cake," Shepard said.

Within minutes they were separated. Jack had stayed on Miranda's back, waiting for this opportunity, but Shepard was nowhere to be seen.

"Shepard!" Miranda shouted.

She sounded more annoyed than scared.

"Shoulda kept him on his leash," Jack said.

Miranda ignored her and shouted again.

Jack's hand was tight on her gun, but so was Miranda's. It must have been the fog that made Miranda keep her guard up; she was not the type of woman who needed her boyfriend to make her feel safe.

"Shepard!" Miranda shouted again.

It was quieter this time. Then she lowered her arm and held her gun slack. Jack saw her chance. She charged at Miranda, knocking her gun away and sending Miranda to the floor. Miranda got up onto her knees.

"This feels familiar," she said with a laugh.

"Not a joke this time, bitch."

Miranda was smiling, "What are you waiting for?"

"I'm calling the shots now."

"So… you want me to beg?"

Miranda's smile grew larger.

"No."

Yes. That was what Jack wanted. Desperate tears in Miranda's perfect eyes, her face crinkling into ugly despair. Piss running down the leg of her tight catsuit, pooling shamefully on the rocky surface.

"I'm getting up now. You're boring me."

Jack pulled the trigger.

Miranda fell to the floor, a red sunburst hole in the centre of her forehead. Her eyes were open, shining like marbles. Miranda's death rattle final breath sounded like laughter. She was still smiling.

Suddenly the gun scorched Jack's flesh. She didn't want to hold it anymore, but she couldn't make herself let go. It felt like it physically hurt. She had killed people before, lost count of how many. A lot of people who deserved it, but still deserved it less than the cheerleader. Why did it feel like this?

"Shepard!" she shouted.

She just wanted to leave; screw the mission.

"Shepard!"

She hated herself for shouting. The effort strained her throat. The worst part was she didn't want it to be Shepard that emerged from the clouds; she wanted it to be Gabby.

Jack saw another blue bolt pierce the sky and knew Shepard would be there soon. She stared down at Miranda and realised how obviously guilty she looked. Blue Suns. That was a good excuse. They were deadly and they were everywhere. But how had they managed to kill Miranda and leave Jack untouched? Jack held the gun in her left hand and aimed at her right shoulder. The wound seared and she screamed.

Shepard ran towards her.

"Miranda?"

"Shepard, I-"

"Miranda!"

Shepard fell to his knees by Miranda's body. He held her hand and turned her head towards him.

"What happened?"

"Blue Suns. They got me too," Jack said, holding out her bloody shoulder.

Shepard rolled Miranda's eyelids closed.

"Go back to the ship, Jack."

"But-"

"That's an order! Follow the blue lights. Take the shuttle back to the Normandy. I'll radio them and let them know what's happened. They'll send another for me and Miri to ride back."

"I'm sorry, Shep."

He didn't answer.

Jack ran off and threw up on the way back. She leaned over a rock and everything poured out of her. Wiping the mouth on her arm, she walked back to the shuttle and rode it to the Normandy in silence. She stared out into the black vacuum as they flew, and remembered that she'd soon know exactly where her ex-torturers were. The thought settled her stomach.


	7. Chapter 7 - Dead End

**The Competition, Ch.7**

Shepard held Miranda's limp body in his arms and watched the flicker of light through the green fog from Jack's shuttle soaring away. Miranda was his world. It had nothing to do with her being the 'perfect woman'. She was Miri. He loved her, and now she was gone.

In her office, Liara smiled. Preliminary classified Cerberus reports had already reached her. Subject Zero had travelled back alone. Commander Shepard and Ms. Lawson had been 'delayed'. Liara began to unlock the codes on the files she had promised Jack. Nyxeris entered the room with Liara's coffee; a foamy cappuccino dusted with chocolate shavings and a cinnamon stick.

"Your coffee, Miss. T'Soni," Nyxeris said.

Liara smiled and took a sip as Nyxeris bowed.

A little cloud of cream clung to her top lip.

"This tastes… funny," Liara slurred.

"A present from the Shadow Broker. Pureblood bitch."

She fell forward onto her computer, sloshing her coffee onto the floor. Nyxeris leaned over Liara's lifeless body, downloaded all of the terminal's files onto her Omni-tool then cleared the hard drive. While the damp foam sagged off Liara's lip, Nyxeris walked to the docks and caught a cab off Illium.

Shepard eventually gathered the strength to radio the Normandy. Joker answered.

"Hey Commander, saw that Zero came back on her own. You and Miranda stay for a little 'down time', huh?" he said with a laugh.

"Miri's… dead, Joker. Send a shuttle with a casket. I want to give her a proper burial back on Earth."

"Listen, I'm sorry Commander. I didn't mean…"

"Send the shuttle."

Two low ranking Cerberus foot soldiers arrived with the shuttle and tried to lift Miranda's body on board with reverence, but it sagged awkwardly in the middle. Shepard looked away as they heaved her corpse into a curved metallic container. When he finally climbed onto the shuttle, he collapsed over Miranda's makeshift coffin and cried. Neither of the soldiers looked at him the entire ride back.

The whole squad – apart from Jack – gathered in docking bay and saluted as Miranda's coffin was carried out.

They each offered their condolences the slinked off to give him privacy. Joker remained, shifting his weight anxiously from side to side.

"Shepard…"

"Just leave me alone, Joker."

"This can't wait."

"Nothing is as important as this!" Shepard shouted.

Joker cowered slightly, then straightened his back and stood tall. There was a twinge of agony in his bones that did not show on his face.

"You _need _to hear this Shepard," Joker said.

"Jeff, my analysis of Shepard's body readings suggest that another piece of bad news may be severely detrimental to his wellbeing," EDI said.

"Nothing will seem like bad news today, EDI," Shepard said.

He covered his face with his hands and slumped down the wall into a sitting position.

"It's about Liara," Joker said.

"Jeff, again I must-" EDI said.

Shepard stood up quickly, "Shut up EDI! What happened to Liara?"

"Maybe you should sit down again, Shep."

Shepard ran at Joker, holding him up against the wall. There was loud pop, like torn bubble wrap.

"Shepard, this assault is dangerous given Jeff's condition," EDI said.

He let go and Joker lay back weakly on the wall.

"Liara was murdered at her desk. They think it was her assistant, but there's no trace of her. I'm sorry Shep, for what it's worth," Joker said.

Shepard stumbled backwards. His throat felt tight and his vision turned white. He woke up in his bed. Joker was sitting on the sofa, holding a glass of water out for him.

"You carried me up here?"

"That would've snapped my bones like pasta. Garrus and Thane did it. I just wanted to make sure someone was here when you woke up. You should get some rest now," Joker said.

He left the room. Shepard's bed felt huge.

Down in her engineering basement, Jack slapped at her Omni-tool. Eventually she went upstairs to see Gabby. Gabby brushed her hair behind her ears and looked at Jack suspiciously.

"Take your break, Kenneth," she said.

He looked Jack up and down. She glared at him and he scampered away.

"I need you to fix my Omni-tool," Jack said.

"Is that it? That's all you're going to say?"

"What do you want Daniels? A kiss? An easy lay? You want me to tell you I love you? Just fix it. I need to speak to Liara."

Jack held out her arm with the Omni-tool activated.

"Didn't you hear?" Gabby said.

"Hear what?"

"Liara was murdered by her assistant."

Jack yanked her arm away from Gabby and ran off.

"Wait!" Gabby shouted after her.

Jack didn't stop. She pounded down her stairs and punched at the wall until the scabs on her knuckles opened up and bled again.


	8. Chapter 8 - Memories

**The Competition, Ch.8**

Gabby ran down the stairs after Jack and watched her hammered her fists into to wall.

"Stop!"

Jack's fists kept swinging into the metal panels, leaving an imprint of red.

"Stop!" Gabby shouted again.

She pulled Jack away from the wall. Jack fell loosely backwards and collapsed into Gabby's arms. Jack's tears dripped onto Gabby's shoulders as the blood from her hands stained Gabby's back.

"I did it," Jack said.

"What?"

"Miranda."

Gabby ran a consoling hand down Miranda's back.

"I'm sure you did all you could," she said.

"You don't understand. I _killed _her."

"You… on purpose?"

Jack pulled a knife from her pocket and held it to her throat, eyes wild and watery, staring at Gabby.

"No!" Gabby shouted.

She jerked her hand out to Jack's wrist and wrestled the knife away, kicking it towards the door as it hit the floor.

Jack sighed and sat down on her bench, landing hard.

"Liara asked me to. She said if I killed Miranda for her, she'd give me these files on the people who used to torture me at Teltin."

Jack started to slap her palms against the side of her head. Gabby grabbed at her arms and held them away.

"Don't!"

Gabby leaned in and kissed her. Jack pulled Gabby on top of her as she lay down, wrapping her legs around her. Jack kissed back hard and tried to unzip Gabby's trousers but Gabby moved away. Jack sat up and pushed Gabby firmly in the chest.

"What? Can't bear to fuck me now that I'm a killer? You're such a bitch, Daniels."

Gabby's hand shot out and slapped Jack across the cheek, leaving a red raw imprint.

"I like you! I don't just want to fuck you and forget about you. I want to help you," Gabby said.

"Like a charity case?"

"Like a _friend_."

Jack stepped towards her and Gabby raised her arms cautiously. Jack kissed her cheek tenderly.

"I like you too. But hit me again and I'll hit back, deal?" she said.

Gabby smiled.

They sat back down on the bench and Jack rested her head on Gabby's shoulder.

"You know, I could get those files for you," Gabby said.

"Liara's?" Jack said, sitting up to attention.

Gabby nodded and smiled. Jack sighed and leaned back onto her.

"Nah, Liara said they were code locked, plus her terminal will be evidence now, even if it hasn't already been wiped or destroyed. I'm never going to find those names."

"You don't need them," Gabby said.

Jack ground her teeth together.

"They haunt me, Gabby. I need them dead," she said.

Gabby got her Omni-tool out and keyed into it. There was an electronic whirr that Jack found relaxing. She closed her eyes and started to go to sleep.

Gabby jostled and woke Jack.

"Got them," she said.

She held out the Omni-tool for Jack to see. It was a list of names and last known locations.

"What's this?" Jack said sleepily.

"Liara's data."

Jack kissed her.

"How did you get this?"

"Haven't you ever wondered how Liara gets all her intel? She has agents all over the galaxy," Gabby said with a wry smile.

"_You _work for Liara?"

"Yep. I couldn't get anywhere near most of her data, but yours had pretty low level decryption. She obviously wasn't too worried that you'd try and hack them."

"I love you! Send them to me."

"You love me?" Gabby said.

"You know what I mean, Gabby. Send me the files."

Jack opened her Omni-tool and stared at it in anticipation.

"Wait, did you feel better when you killed Miranda? You won't be killing your memories, Jack."

"It'll help."

"Will it? Like it did when you blew Teltin up?"

"You don't understand, okay? You want to help me or not?" Jack said.

"I want to help you make _new _memories."

Gabby kissed her again, pulling Jack towards her.

The two of them lay on the bench together. Jack slid her trousers down as Gabby lifted her shirt over her head. When they were done, Jack watched Gabby breathing as she slept. She fought the urge to steal her Omni-tool and download the files.


End file.
